Scam Peter Foster conman & sports betting boiler room scams

Peter Clarence Foster (born 26 September 1962) is an Australian career criminal who's been imprisoned in Australia, Britain, the US and Vanuatu for a variety of offences related to weight loss and other scams as well as absconding from justice. His convictions range from fraud and money laundering to assault police officers, contempt of court and resisting arrest.

He was also a police informer.

In trouble again for fraud, my guess is it's connected to the boiler room scams selling investment shares in predictive online gambling software running out of the Gold Coast. (Generally horse racing)


The court was told Foster used a fake identity to run a sports betting company in 2013 that had millions of dollars passing through its bank account.

Police told the court Foster called himself Mark Hughes between February and August 2013 and encouraged people to invest in a business called the Sports Trading Club.

One victim allegedly invested $1.5 million before he was alerted to Foster's actual identity via a text message from a director of the Sports Trading Club, which referred to Foster.

The court heard the victim then searched online and recognised Foster's photograph as Mark Hughes.

The court heard more than $28 million had been deposited into the company's bank account, most of which was transferred overseas.'

Foster was extradited from Queensland to NSW in February 2017, and spent one year five months and 23 days on remand in custody, until he was granted bail in August.

In Central Local Court on Friday, Magistrate John Andrews backdated his jail term to when Foster first went into custody, imposing a minimum jail term which would have expired in July - meaning he has already served his time.

https://www.9news.com.au/2018/10/19/16/52/peter-foster-walks-after-fraud-jail-term

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-02...ourt-over-betting-scam/8260476?site=goldcoast


What is a boiler room?
  • High-pressure sales offices using telemarketers working from a carefully prepared script
  • Sell software they claim can beat the odds on sports betting or other "investments" involving share trading, foreign exchange dealing or real estate
  • Buy lists of people to target who are likely to be looking for a second income or interested in gambling
  • People making the calls rarely use their own names; "testimonials" and "trial runs" to hook customers are often fake
  • Staff usually paid a few hundred dollars a week plus commissions on each sale
  • Masterminds buy old off-the-shelf companies with no complaint history and then close them down when complaints become a reputational problem
  • Concentrated in Australia on the Gold Coast for the last 10 years, but target customers nationwide or even overseas
 

CheapCharlie

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Foster is a poster boy for just how easy it is for white collar crime and comment to fleece people of millions and get away with it.
Serve a few years in total in minimum security over a lifetime and live a life of luxury from crime.
Promise you won't do it again... and whem you are caught just make another promise and show some contrition...
Rinse and repeat
 
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Mick Featherstone, Queensland ex detective cop turned private investigator known for his excellent work in computer forensics and his wife the lovely Zoei were arrested and charged with aggravated fraud and money laundering. Mick is suspected of being the mastermind behind the multi million dollar Gold Coast boiler room scams duping hundreds of people of between $15 million and $20 million.

They're very well connected and might I suggest previously, protected. imo.

https://www.news.com.au/national/qu...b11ee427d009e8ee0a86697b0f1ec?from=public_rss

The disgraced investigator is already facing charges of kidnap, attempted fraud and attempting to pervert the course of justice, after he and Federal MP Clive Palmer's media adviser Andrew Crook allegedly kidnapped a National Australia Bank employee in 2012, before taking him to an Indonesian island where they attempted to make him retract evidence he had given for a civil trail.

https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/na...charged-with-major-fraud-20160224-gn1z6y.html

Its like playing a game of connect the dots. There are some other big names involved in this as well that haven't leaked into the press yet.
 
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Another one. Phil 'cuts' Cropper.

Former nightclub owner Phil Cropper, who was acquitted of an attempt to extort film star Russell Crowe more than a decade ago, has had an arrest warrant placed on him by Queensland's Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC).

Cropper has been under investigation for his alleged role in running so-called "boiler rooms" or high-pressure sales offices selling fraudulent investment schemes.

The CCC and the Maxima anti-bikie unit of Queensland Police have been investigating an alleged boiler-room syndicate on the Gold Coast for the past two years in an operation called Lima Violin II.

So far almost 30 people have been charged with serious offences.

They include former police detective Mick Featherstone, who was charged last month with aggravated fraud and money laundering along with his wife Zoei and son Zach.

In September 2014, 7.30 revealed Cropper's alleged role in the syndicate as a manager of the boiler rooms.

Cropper was convicted over a 2005 incident in which he shot his girlfriend in the hand through the bathroom door of their apartment on the Gold Coast.

As well as his involvement in nightclubs he has had close associations with the boxing industry.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-03-04/ccc-arrest-warrant-for-phil-cropper-mick-featherstone/7222778

 
Apr 6, 2005
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Another one. Phil 'cuts' Cropper.

Former nightclub owner Phil Cropper, who was acquitted of an attempt to extort film star Russell Crowe more than a decade ago, has had an arrest warrant placed on him by Queensland's Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC).

Cropper has been under investigation for his alleged role in running so-called "boiler rooms" or high-pressure sales offices selling fraudulent investment schemes.

The CCC and the Maxima anti-bikie unit of Queensland Police have been investigating an alleged boiler-room syndicate on the Gold Coast for the past two years in an operation called Lima Violin II.

So far almost 30 people have been charged with serious offences.

They include former police detective Mick Featherstone, who was charged last month with aggravated fraud and money laundering along with his wife Zoei and son Zach.

In September 2014, 7.30 revealed Cropper's alleged role in the syndicate as a manager of the boiler rooms.

Cropper was convicted over a 2005 incident in which he shot his girlfriend in the hand through the bathroom door of their apartment on the Gold Coast.

As well as his involvement in nightclubs he has had close associations with the boxing industry.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-03-04/ccc-arrest-warrant-for-phil-cropper-mick-featherstone/7222778

I knew this guy, Phil. He would regularly come into a bar I used to manage in a hotel resort and often sit at the bar and have a chat. He was always nice and tipped very well but there was a dangerous edge to him that you could feel. At the time he was trying to get a red-bull type energy drink up and going and even gave me a carton. He would often come in with some beautiful women, once was Tania Zaetta.
 
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I knew this guy, Phil. He would regularly come into a bar I used to manage in a hotel resort and often sit at the bar and have a chat. He was always nice and tipped very well but there was a dangerous edge to him that you could feel. At the time he was trying to get a red-bull type energy drink up and going and even gave me a carton. He would often come in with some beautiful women, once was Tania Zaetta.

I know what you mean, he's quite likeable. Charged with trying to extort $200k out of Russell Crowe. His phone was tapped, the transcripts are hilarious.



MALCOLM MERCER: Crowe f---ed big time in a club last night, belted three people, bit someone's face, ripped someone's dress off. We've got it on video.

PHILLIP CROPPER: What?

MERCER: We're just starting to get some negotiation happening. It's all on the video, the whole f---ing lot.

CROPPER: Can he fight?

MERCER: No, absolutely not.

CROPPER: He's just had a bad night on the piss.

MERCER: But you have to see him f---ing punching people.

CROPPER: He can't fight.

MERCER: Nah, he's belted three people and they've all stood there and there's like nothing wrong with `em.

CROPPER: He's filthy rich, isn't he?


MERCER: Absolutely mega.


The dialogue read - and sounded - like a script from a movie. It had suspense, some violence and a bit of comedy thrown in for good measure.


Set in the coastal city of Coffs Harbour, it had the stars: Hollywood actor Russell Crowe, South Sydney football coach Craig Coleman, two nightclub owners and high-profile sports manager Sam Ayoub.

The dialogue however, was part of a District Court trial in Coffs Harbour yesterday.

The nightclub owners, Malcolm Mercer and Philip Cropper, have pleaded not guilty to attempting to extort $200,000 from Crowe.

The pair allegedly tried to get the actor to buy a video which depicted him in a brawl on November 18, 1999, outside the Saloon Bar nightclub.

Unknown to Mercer and Cropper, however, their conversations were recorded by police through phone intercepts.


Those recordings were played to the court yesterday.

They included jokes about Crowe's lack of ability in the boxing arena, the brawl itself and how much money they wanted to make.


Throughout the playing of the tapes some of the jurors laughed; so did the defendants.

On the tape Mercer is heard telling Cropper about the fight in which Crowe "belted three people, bit someone's face, ripped a girl's dress off".

And Mercer later says: "He thinks the world revolves around Russell Crowe and he's just ... the f---ing biggest a-hole you'd ever wanna meet, mate."


Cropper tells Mercer he had been trying to get Craig Coleman to contact Crowe for him.

Cropper says on the tape: "I said I know what I'd be doin', it's a commercial thing ... no-one's standin' over anyone, someone's gunna get it. So if he wants it, he'd betta put his hand in his pocket and buy the f---er."

https://www.smh.com.au/national/the-plots-bad-and-as-for-the-dialogue-20020622-gdfe0t.html


 
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I know what you mean, he's quite likeable. Charged with trying to extort $200k out of Russell Crowe. His phone was tapped, the transcripts are hilarious.



MALCOLM MERCER: Crowe f---ed big time in a club last night, belted three people, bit someone's face, ripped someone's dress off. We've got it on video.

PHILLIP CROPPER: What?

MERCER: We're just starting to get some negotiation happening. It's all on the video, the whole f---ing lot.

CROPPER: Can he fight?

MERCER: No, absolutely not.

CROPPER: He's just had a bad night on the piss.

MERCER: But you have to see him f---ing punching people.

CROPPER: He can't fight.

MERCER: Nah, he's belted three people and they've all stood there and there's like nothing wrong with `em.

CROPPER: He's filthy rich, isn't he?


MERCER: Absolutely mega.


The dialogue read - and sounded - like a script from a movie. It had suspense, some violence and a bit of comedy thrown in for good measure.


Set in the coastal city of Coffs Harbour, it had the stars: Hollywood actor Russell Crowe, South Sydney football coach Craig Coleman, two nightclub owners and high-profile sports manager Sam Ayoub.

The dialogue however, was part of a District Court trial in Coffs Harbour yesterday.

The nightclub owners, Malcolm Mercer and Philip Cropper, have pleaded not guilty to attempting to extort $200,000 from Crowe.

The pair allegedly tried to get the actor to buy a video which depicted him in a brawl on November 18, 1999, outside the Saloon Bar nightclub.

Unknown to Mercer and Cropper, however, their conversations were recorded by police through phone intercepts.


Those recordings were played to the court yesterday.

They included jokes about Crowe's lack of ability in the boxing arena, the brawl itself and how much money they wanted to make.


Throughout the playing of the tapes some of the jurors laughed; so did the defendants.

On the tape Mercer is heard telling Cropper about the fight in which Crowe "belted three people, bit someone's face, ripped a girl's dress off".

And Mercer later says: "He thinks the world revolves around Russell Crowe and he's just ... the f---ing biggest a-hole you'd ever wanna meet, mate."


Cropper tells Mercer he had been trying to get Craig Coleman to contact Crowe for him.

Cropper says on the tape: "I said I know what I'd be doin', it's a commercial thing ... no-one's standin' over anyone, someone's gunna get it. So if he wants it, he'd betta put his hand in his pocket and buy the f---er."

https://www.smh.com.au/national/the-plots-bad-and-as-for-the-dialogue-20020622-gdfe0t.html


Funny stuff. I remember doing a google search on him at the time, I can't remember what triggered it but it was something he said or did that made me want to search him. Most of the time he was a great guest always tipping 20 bucks a drink and often leave a 50 at the end of the night. Always cashed up.
 

Hojuman

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images.jpeg-14.jpg



Pete, nice shirt 👍
 
I've not previously heard about this...

I am shocked and I am absolutely convinced I was targeted in about 2013.

I received a phone call from a female who claimed to be from a company (I can't remember the name of the company she said she was from) who guaranteed they'd be able to make me on average $60,000 per year by having professional Horse racing traders use my Betfair account to make me money.

She sounded extremely convincing. She mentioned if I was interested, she would forward me data showing how successful their clients have been.

I can't remember the exact figure, but she offered me an "introductory offer" of about $6,000 for the first year, and it would be $10,000 for each subsequent year if I wished to continue my subscription.

This phone call was within the first 12 months of me learning the art of arbitrage betting, when I was only making about $20k per year by trading. The $60,000 appealed to me. I remember asking her how she got my phone number. I can't remember the response she gave, but it sounded convincing.

I don't even remember being skeptical because she was so convincing. She said I'd have to deposit money into my Betfair account and then give them access to my Betfair account. I recall her mentioning something about lay betting and she mentioned that there might be certain days where their professional traders don't find any value and therefore there will be days of zero turnover.

I reckon the phone call lasted about 15-20 minutes. I'm convinced now that she was reading off a script as mentioned in the above article.

In the end I decided to decline her offer but I was very close to accepting. I kept asking questions and every answer she gave made me become more convinced that it wasn't a Ponzi scheme.

Scary stuff!
 
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I've not previously heard about this...

I am shocked and I am absolutely convinced I was targeted in about 2013.

I received a phone call from a female who claimed to be from a company (I can't remember the name of the company she said she was from) who guaranteed they'd be able to make me on average $60,000 per year by having professional Horse racing traders use my Betfair account to make me money.

She sounded extremely convincing. She mentioned if I was interested, she would forward me data showing how successful their clients have been.

I can't remember the exact figure, but she offered me an "introductory offer" of about $6,000 for the first year, and it would be $10,000 for each subsequent year if I wished to continue my subscription.

This phone call was within the first 12 months of me learning the art of arbitrage betting, when I was only making about $20k per year by trading. The $60,000 appealed to me. I remember asking her how she got my phone number. I can't remember the response she gave, but it sounded convincing.

I don't even remember being skeptical because she was so convincing. She said I'd have to deposit money into my Betfair account and then give them access to my Betfair account. I recall her mentioning something about lay betting and she mentioned that there might be certain days where their professional traders don't find any value and therefore there will be days of zero turnover.

I reckon the phone call lasted about 15-20 minutes. I'm convinced now that she was reading off a script as mentioned in the above article.

In the end I decided to decline her offer but I was very close to accepting. I kept asking questions and every answer she gave made me become more convinced that it wasn't a Ponzi scheme.

Scary stuff!

Could it have been the Vlahos scam?
Key points:
  • Between 2007 and 2013, Vlahos secured 1,800 investors across up to 61 syndicates
  • Vlahos initially faced 347 charges but ultimately pleaded to two counts of obtaining financial advantage by deception
  • With time served, he will be eligible for parole in just over four years
 

Hojuman

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Could it have been the Vlahos scam?
Key points:
  • Between 2007 and 2013, Vlahos secured 1,800 investors across up to 61 syndicates
  • Vlahos initially faced 347 charges but ultimately pleaded to two counts of obtaining financial advantage by deception
  • With time served, he will be eligible for parole in just over four years


Sure fire way to win on the gee-gees. You can't lose.
Sure Bill, sure.
 
Could it have been the Vlahos scam?
Key points:
  • Between 2007 and 2013, Vlahos secured 1,800 investors across up to 61 syndicates
  • Vlahos initially faced 347 charges but ultimately pleaded to two counts of obtaining financial advantage by deception
  • With time served, he will be eligible for parole in just over four years
Only 4 years for swindling $18M seems disproportionate for ruining many lives.
 
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Could it have been the Vlahos scam?
Key points:
  • Between 2007 and 2013, Vlahos secured 1,800 investors across up to 61 syndicates
  • Vlahos initially faced 347 charges but ultimately pleaded to two counts of obtaining financial advantage by deception
  • With time served, he will be eligible for parole in just over four years

Vlahos claimed to use overseas bookies as his bet sizes and prices would not have been plausible here.
Betfair in particular is a very transparent mode of betting. You can see everything.
 

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Varsity_stakes

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Years after having contact with these entities, I still go searching for info every now and then. The names in this thread are familiar, and the stories as well. I remember being told Foster was involved, and may have even seen him in person once. The last I heard, through media articles, was that 'Cuts' Cropper fled the country with an outstanding warrant out for him. Haven't heard anything since. That transcript is exactly what he's like, he's certainly a character. I imagine his whereabouts are known to authorities at this point. Some other significant names that were dropped in my presence seem to have avoided being sucked in to the maelstrom of media attention this attracted back in 15/16. I often wonder where these guys are now and what other schemes they've moved to.
 
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